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RPI hockey looks to engineer an upset of Colgate

Teams meet in first round of ECAC playoffs

Tim Wilkin| on
March 1, 2018

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute head coach Dave Smith instructs his players against Maine during the first period of an NCAA college hockey game Friday, Dec. 29, 2017, in Troy, N.Y., (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union) less

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute head coach Dave Smith instructs his players against Maine during the first period of an NCAA college hockey game Friday, Dec. 29, 2017, in Troy, N.Y., (Hans Pennink / Special to ... more

Photo: Hans Pennink

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Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute head coach Dave Smith instructs his players against Maine during the first period of an NCAA college hockey game Friday, Dec. 29, 2017, in Troy, N.Y., (Hans Pennink / Special to the Times Union) less

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute head coach Dave Smith instructs his players against Maine during the first period of an NCAA college hockey game Friday, Dec. 29, 2017, in Troy, N.Y., (Hans Pennink / Special to ... more

Photo: Hans Pennink

RPI hockey looks to engineer an upset of Colgate

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If you go by the numbers, RPI's hockey season is going to end this weekend.

Or maybe it isn't.

The Engineers, coming off a miserable regular season, get a second chance when the ECAC playoffs start Friday night. RPI (5-24-4, 4-15-2 in the league) is the 11th seed and will play No. 6 Colgate (14-14-6, 10-9-3) in a best-of-three series in Hamilton. Game 2 is Saturday night and, if necessary, Game 3 would be Sunday. All games are scheduled to start at 7 p.m.

A No. 11 seed beating a No. 6 seed is not an impossible feat. The RPI program knows that.

The Engineers have pulled off the upset as the 11th seed twice. In 2003, RPI beat No. 6 Union in two games, and, in 2009, RPI swept No. 6 Dartmouth. The Engineers have felt the sting, too. In 2010, Brown came to Troy as the 11th seed and beat No. 6 RPI in three games.

RPI was the No. 11 seed a year ago and lost in two games at No. 6 Clarkson.

"I don't think anyone expects us to win, but that doesn't really matter," RPI captain Jared Wilson said. "All the pressure is on (Colgate). They are the higher seed, they have the home ice."

More Information

RPI at Colgate

What: First-round, best-of-three ECAC playoff series

When: 7 p.m. Friday, 7 p.m. Saturday and, if necessary, 7 p.m. Sunday

Radio: 91.5 WRPI

Colgate swept RPI during the regular season, winning 3-0 Feb. 2 at home and, just last Saturday, the Red Raiders spoiled RPI's Big Red Freakout and Senior Night with a 5-2 win.

"I understand what the seedings are," RPI coach Dave Smith said. "But I like our team and I like what we are capable of."

The Engineers come into the playoffs on a five-game losing streak. In RPI's past nine games, the Engineers have lost eight of them. During that stretch, RPI has been outscored 46-16. Those looking for the positives will point to Feb. 3 when RPI went to Ithaca and upset Cornell (2-1), then ranked No. 1 in the country. That is the last time RPI won a game.

Even in Saturday night's game against Colgate, RPI showed some domination at times. In the third period the Engineers outshot Colgate 22-4. They might have won that game had they not banged a couple pucks off the pipes of the net. Or if a goal that looked good but was disallowed by the referees counted.

To a man, RPI's hockey team says it can compete with Colgate.

"We have shown we can outplay that team," said RPI's Jacob Hayhurst, the team's leading goal scorer with 12. "If we can get pucks to the net, and if we can get bodies in front (of Colgate goalie Colton Point), there is no reason why they shouldn't start going in."

Colgate coach Don Vaughan knows what it is like to see a big upset in the ECAC playoffs. In 2011, his Red Raiders were seeded 12th and the decided underdog against No. 5 RPI. Colgate came to Houston Field House and shocked the Engineers, winning the series in three games.

Then, Colgate continued the surprise by beating Union, which was the top seed in the tournament.

"There is no given, our guys know that," Vaughan said. "We have first-hand knowledge that anything can happen. We are not going to take them lightly because we have beaten them, I can tell you that. (RPI) has had a frustrating year not getting the wins they wanted. They have to be in a good frame of mind now because the slate is clean. Everyone has the same record. Nno one has won a game yet."

Smith said he hopes to have forward Viktor Liljegren in the lineup Friday. The senior played in the first period Saturday night after missing the past three games with a leg injury. He took himself out of the lineup after the first 20 minutes against Colgate.

"He gave it his best," Smith said. "He got through a period and wasn't able to continue. I expect him to be ready to go (Friday)."